Marine Corps News, news from Iraq - Marine Corps Times

Osprey flies first ship-to-shore medevac

The MV-22 Osprey recently flew its first ship-to-shore emergency medical evacuation, but Marine officials won’t say much about the mission.

Two aircraft with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit participated in the June 25 medevac, flying an injured sailor and team of medical personnel from the amphibious assault ship Bataan to a regional airport about 170 miles away, according to a MEU news release. Officials declined to say where the Bataan was operating, however, or where on land the injured sailor was taken. Its last known location is the Suez Canal.

The Ospreys received an emergency call around 4:30 p.m. as they were returning to the Bataan from a routine flight, according to the release. The sailor had sustained head and hip injuries in a fall, officials said. Both aircraft were aloft again 20 minutes later, arriving at the airport in 37 minutes.

An ambulance took the sailor to a regional hospital. The sailor was in stable condition and awaiting further transfer, the release states.

The medevac occurred just days after the Government Accountability Office released a report criticizing the Osprey’s soaring procurement costs and its ability to integrate with Navy amphibs.

Related reading:

Lawmaker: Time to put Osprey out of its misery